THE future of two of the town's closest court houses remains uncertain after the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) refused to confirm what will become of the historic buildings.

Warrington Magistrates' Court on Arpley Street and Halton Magistrates' Court in Runcorn sat for the final time on January 13.

All criminal cases in the area now begin the justice process at Warrington Combined Court on Legh Street.

While some staff from the MoJ are still using the former court house buildings, from May 31 the Arpley Street court house in the town centre will close its doors permanently with a full exit from Halton Magistrates' Court set for later this year. 

The overhaul is part of savings scheme of £40 million by the MoJ with Halton Magistrates' Court costing £349,000 per year to run while only 66 per cent of the space was utilised.

A HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesman said: “Closing underused and dilapidated court buildings will allow us to reinvest in the justice system and the best use of technology.

"This will improve access to justice and improve the experience for all court users."

But concerns have been raised over what will become of the buildings with MPs set to scrutinise the impact of the court closures.

Mary Creagh, chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee, said: “The MoJ manages a vast estate but is undergoing rapid changes with closures to courts.

“Court buildings may be closing without sufficient regard to environmental impact on the town centre, and we’ve heard evidence of decaying sites that could blight communities if there is no strategy for their disposal.”